The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-08
GENERAL BOULliGER,
THR FRENCH MINISTER OF WAR,
A BOBN SOLDIER
And the Man to whom France Looks
ms Her Military Leader In
Case OF War.

PARIS, April 28.-In my last let
ter, sent from Vienna, l gave a brief
hint of the immense armed forces
with which France and Germany
now confront each other, and made
a reference to the enormous fortifca-
tions that have sprung up on French
soil since the disastrous peace OF
1871. Personal observation since
justifes all the figures then given.
Not long ago the Russian admirers of
the French Minister Of War sent
him beautiful sword, on the blade
of which was engraved: "Qui vive2
La France ct Boulanger," and both
France and Boulanger are indeed
very much alive. At the very mo-
ment when the need of a French
Bismarck is most apparent, either for
the preservation of the peace Of the
Republic by the exercise Of his strong
personal influence over the excitable
citizens, or for popular leadership in
rush for that "revanche" for. which
they have sighed for sixteen years,
he is to be found in Boulanger, Min
lister OF War. This born soldier is
scarcely 80 years of age, but looks
much older. AS a dashing cavalry
man he distinguished himself in
many battlefelds in Algeria and
Italy, and he was one Of the light,
hopeful captains who accompa-
MED Napoleon III on the Gel
ebrated march "a Berlin" Like
his imperial master, he was in com
plete ignorance of the condition of
affairs; like his imperial master, he
regarded the French army as utterly
invincible, and able to march to
Berlin without encountering any
thing worthy the name of opposition.
He was at Sedan when the death
blow was struck to French imperial
ism, and he stood, with folded arms
and clenched teeth, witness of the
never to be forgotten interview be-
tween the man who had been bis
Emp ,ror and the man he seems to
have made up his mind to initiate.
he vowed to do his part in reorgan-
izing the French army and making
it what it might have been had it
possessed officers one-tenth as com.
petent and brave as its rank and
file. Four years elapsed before the
ambitious soldier became colonel.
Then he led the expeditionary force
to Tunis, and finally he became what
he had always wanted to be-the
French Minister Of War.
In that office he will continue the
one man in France whose lease of
power is long one-simply because
his retirement would be regarded,
rightly or wrongly, as a concession to
Bismarck. When he entered the
war Office he began at once to Prus-
sianixe the French army, and, as he
is more than twenty years the junior
of the men he set himself to initiate,
if not emulate, it is due to the keen
ness OF his French wit to say that he
has bettered their instructions. He
abolished the paper battahons and
provided for every regiment being
kept up to its normal strength. Next
he turned his attention to the drill
both of men and officers, and in
few months got rid Of all that was
left of the imperial incompetency in
the Republican army, He has es-
tablished throughout France schools
for the practice Of gymnastics and
physical training, and he has dis
tinctly raised the standard of the I'M
tried victims of the CONSUMPTION, He
had ample opportunities during the
war which crushed his country to
note the effect of stern discipline and
machine like drill on the
part of the German troops,
and he has pro6ted by it. His
one fixed aim is TO recover the lost
Provinces, and hence he compels ev-
cry soldier to carry with him map
OF France with the boundaries as
they were prior to l870-that is,
with Alsace and Lorraine both in
cluded in it. Some people affected
to laugh at this wandering to senti-
mentality" as it was called by ad-
verse critics; but Boulanger knew
the class of men with whom he had
to deal, and he also thoroughly ap.
prociated the disposition of the
French soldier. By this and other
similar means he has laid the foun
dation of distinctly national war
fever, which will break out and in :
feet every soldier to madness the mo
ment war is declared.
What has been the RESULT have
already spoken of the wonderful
fortresses, and beside these France
today, according to the most recent
official statistici, possesses the fol-
lowing military force to operate upon
the basis OF the most tremendous de-
fensive system in the world:
l. Men who have received a com
plete military instruction number
2,025, 1853.
2. Men who have received a COM
plete military instruction, and who
are fit to form reserves to feed losses
in the front, amount to 697 ,072.
3. Men who have only received
rudimentary military instruction,
but who are fit for garrison duty,
amount to CSC, 100.
4. Men devoid of military instruc-
ton, but serviceable in support OF
the armies in the field, amount to
701, 230.
Even admitting that this enormous
host is not yet as completely equip.
ped as the German, it is more than
evident that nothing but domestic
desperation seems likely to lead
Germany to rush into war with such
a gigantic power, especially if France
is resolute not to run her head
against the mighty Notifications of
Germany by beginning an invasion.
Taking such facts into consideration,
think | am not irrational in sup
posing that if it be true that France
wants an alley in order TO carry on
war in Germany, Germany is not
much less in need of one in order to
carry on war in France. The Prus-
sian needle guns were excellent in
1866 against the Austrian muzzle
leaders, and the millions of German
troops that rushed across the border
| in 1870 oould walk over the desper-